Eye Doctor Says It's Not Night Blindness

[brendygirl]

We moved, so I went to a new eye doctor to replace my eyeglasses. I only have difficulty seeing at night or in the dark or when small writing is backlit, like on a projector. My other eye doctor called it night blindness, about 10 yrs. ago. I don't wear glasses on a daily basis, at work, reading, or in most activities. Just in the dark. If you read about celiac, a possible side effect is vitamin A deficiency (among many vitamin deficiencies, due to malabsorption), which causes night blindness. I was a health-conscious vegetarian before my celiac dx, so I ate TONS of veggies and vitamins.

Anyway, when I mentioned the words night blindness to this eye doctor, she said people like me with light colored eyes can have pain from bright light. She repeatedly told me that if I had dark eyes like her (and she pointed to her own eyes) that I wouldn't have the pain. Astonishing, how everyone in my famiy has light colored eyes, green or blue, and nobody else has this pain.

I am aware that there are many things that affect the eyes, like my great grandfather who has that white ring around the iris from high cholesterol, or diabetics who can lose their eyesight. How she cannot be aware of celiac, or its effects on her area of expertise, is beyond me. I told her I have celiac and she said, "What? Shell-ee-ac?" Then, instead of saying that she needed to look it up, she said no, that's not the reason, and you do not have night blindness.

Above all, my b.s. detector went off. She didn't have a clue, and the worst part about ignorance, is not having the integrity to say, I'm not aware of that, I should research it. Anyway, she tested me with lenses, in the dark, with the backlit letters, and I got my new glasses. That are for bad eyesight, but the kind that is only bad in the dark, I guess.

[Juliebove]

I have light colored eyes. Green, the color of split pea soup. I don't have eye pain on a regular basis, although at times I get blepharitis and that can cause pain. I do have something like night blindness. One eye Dr. said my eyes do not adjust to the light nearly as quickly as normal eyes would. For me the worst situation is going from bright light into darkness.

If I go to the movies, I need to get there early and get seated before the movie starts while there is still some light. My friend did not believe me and insisted that we go just minutes after the movie started. She wound up yanking me out of there after I stepped on and felt up people in an attempt to find an empty seat. That was an old theater that had a balcony. She wound up taking me up there where there were available seats. And she never questioned what I said again!

Another time, I went to the movies with my husband who also didn't believe me about the light. I had to leave for some reason. I can't remember now. I knew he was sitting near the back on the side. I patted some guy on the head, felt his curly hair and said, "Oh! You're not my husband!" My husband was not amused.

I also have extreme trouble walking outside at night time. I also have neuropathy in my feet and legs. The Dr. said I need visual cues to help me with my balance. And in the dark I don't have those things.

I remember going to some event at my daughter's school. The sidewalk was lit but i had to step from there into the shadow of my van. It was like stepping off into outer space. I had no idea where the ground was. I had to grab onto the van and feel my way around it. People were staring.

My brother also has light eyes. His are more of a greenish/light brown. He has pain in his eyes when he goes into the sunlight. I am not sure why. He has a lot of problems with his eyes. Used to be cross eyed but had an operation to correct it. But now when he gets sleepy, one eye will turn up. He is also farsighted in one eye and nearsighted in the other. So he has no depth perception.

[tarnalberry]

I have light eyes and am rather light sensitive, but it's not just at night. I see no reason why you can't have light eyes and be night blind, even if it's more common for lighter eyed people to be more light sensitive.

[wheeleezdryver]

my eyes are hazel, and i've had light sensitivity (but no nightblindness) since i was a teenager (if not longer). Sunglasses never worked well for me... yes, they protected my eyes from the sun, but could still feel the sharp glare of bright things.

i hate driving at night when it's raining... everything reflects off the wet pavement & it makes it hard to see.